China

2 February 2017

China: Bird flu advisory issued

1 Feb 2017 11:17 (UTC+2)

Travellers are being warned about travelling to 40 different countries, including China, that have reported outbreaks of avian flu (bird flu), in wild birds and domestic poultry since November 2016, News24 claims.

The World Health Organization and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) say 120 people have been infected with a strain of the illness in China since September last year. As many as a third of these died as a result of the infection.

South Africans should be vigilant and avoid contact with birds, bird droppings, poultry farms and markets, as well as eating undercooked poultry and soft eggs in any country where bird flu has been confirmed.

The CDC has issued a travel alert for China recommending that visitors avoid all contact with birds as far as possible in the country but has not advised against travel to Chin